Ball valve for flush tanks



y 15, 1952 H. o. CURRY 2,602,933

BALL VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Filed Jan 18, 1950 Jionace 0.. Cur-23g INVENTOR ATTORNEYS m Patented July T5, 1952 UNITED PATE T] emu sALLvALyEFoR FLUSH TANKS )SClll'iY, Hialeah, Fla. Application January 18, 1950-,fs ri l No. 139,247

This invention relates to a ball valve for flush tanks, and more particularly, has reference to a mounting for a valve of this type whereby the position of the ball valve is controlled at all times. Lfj-Ql By way of background,.it is-well known that over a period of time, the rubber'ball valve' o'ff a conventional flush tank may tend to become improperly positioned, and as a result, does not drop straight downwardly into its seat. This results in the toilet continuously flushing, until the top of the flush tank is lifted off and the ball valve manually adjusted to a proper seated position.

This tendency on the part of conventionally mounted flush tank bulbs or rubber ball valves is caused by the type of mounting now in general use, wherein the lifting rod attached to said bulb reciprocates in vertical guides. Of necessity, these guides are so proportioned that the lifting rod is rather loosely positioned therein, as a result of which the lifting rod is permitted lateral movement with the final result that the bulb does not seat properly on many occasions.

The main object of the present invention is to eliminate this tendency, by the provision of a mounting for the bulb or ball valve of a flush tank, which mounting is novelly designed in a manner to prevent lateral movement or wobble of the bulb, so that the bulb is kept under full control against lateral movement in any direction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as'the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts. without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the lower portion of a flush tank showing the bulb mounted therein in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a conventional flush tank I is formed with the seat 2 and mounted within the flush tank is the conventional filler pipe 3.

In accordance with the present invention, a clamp 4 is applied to the pipe 3, having a socket in which is rigidly secured, by means of a set screw 5, one end of a stationary arm 6, the other end of which is formed with the horizontally positioned bearing sleeve 1. The first-named end 1 Claim. (Cl. 457) 2 of the arm 6 is straight, the arm being formed intermediate its ends with an arcuate return bend into which the straight end portion merges. This return bend formation results in disposition of the bearing sleeve I laterally and to one side of the pipe 3.

Rotatably mounted within the bearing sleeve 1 is the laterally extended end 8 of an elongated lever 9, said lever 9 being extended substantially horizontally from the sleeve 1, as best seen from Fig. 1, and having formed therein near its other end the loop In providing a ring in which is engaged the lower end of the lifting rod H connected in the usual manner to an operating handle, not shown, that is disposed exteriorly of the flush tank.

The free end of the lever 9 is downturned as best seen from Fig. 1, and is threaded for connection, by means of a nut l2, to the frustoconical metal cap I3 overlying the upper portion of the rubber bulb [4 adapted to be lifted from and dropped upon the seat 2.

The purpose of utilizing a metal cap I3 is to prevent wobbling between the free end of the lever and the bottom portion of the bulb H. In other words, a rigid and fixed connection is made between the bulb and lever.

In use, elevation of the lifting rod l I will cause the free end of the lever 9 to be raised, lifting the bulb l4 from its seat 2 so as to flush the water closet. into place in the usual manner.

By reason of the construction illustrated, in which the lever 9 is formed with a lateral extension 8 on one end rotatably mounted within an elongated sleeve 1, any possibility of lateral movement of the lever 9 is completely prevented. As a result, lateral movement of the bulb I4 out of its true position in which it is aligned with the seat 2, is also completely prevented. At the same time, lateral movement to left or right in Fig. 1 is also prevented by means of the lever 9.

This mounting of a bulb, it has been found, results in complete control of the bulb at all times, and does not result in improper seating of the bulb on any occasion, even after long and repeated use, thus preventing leakage and waste of water usually associated and caused by improper seating of the bulb.

By reason of the fact that the straight end portion of the arm 6 is inserted in the socket of the clamp and held in position by a set screw, it will be seen that said insertion pre-supposes a sliding of said straight end portion within the socket radially of the pipe 3, so that the set Subsequently, the bulb [4 drops backscrew secures the straight end portion and in fact the arm 6 itself in a selected position of adjustment radially of the pipe. As a result, in locating the bulb where it will seat properly, adjustment of the bulb position toward and away from the pipe 3, as well as through an arcuate path having the vertical axis of the pipe 3 as its center, becomes possible. It is important to note, in this connection, that the adjustment of the bulb position toward and away from the pipe 3 is efiected' without affecting in any way the previously established optimum position of vertical adjustment of the pivot axis of the lever 9. The arrangement not only has value in: effecting exact adjustment of the bulb position and its path of movement toward and away from 1 its seat in a particular flush tank, but also adapts the one device for use in any of various makes of tanks.

What is claimed is:

,A mounting for the bulb of a flush tank having within it an upstanding: pipe and a. liIti-ngV-rod', comprising: a clamp adjustable vertically and rotatably of the pipe-and adapted for fixed connection to the pipe in a selected position oflad justment; a socket rigid with the clamp: and extending horizontally and radially of the-pipe;

an arm having a straight end portion slidable in the socket radially and horizontally of the pipe, said arm being formed intermediate its ends with a return bend, whereby to dispose the other end of the arm laterally and to one side of the pipe; a set screw threaded in the wall of the socket and engaging said straight end portion in a selected position of adjustment; a horizontally, disposed bearing, ,sleeve rigid with the last-named end of saidr -arm; a lever having a lateral extension at one end rotatably mounted in the bearing sleeve for swinging of the lever in a vertical plane; a pivotal connection betwe the liftingrod and an intermediate portion f the lever; and a rigid connection between the other end of the lever and the bulb.

, HORACE O. CURRY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file 'of-"this patent:

UNITED; STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 996,186 Willetts June 27,1911

1,201,416. Ziemer Oct. 17, 1916 2,190,160 Mason et al Feb. 13, 1940 

